Teen killed in crash remembered as 'epitome of a team player'

Friends and family are remembering Eric Goegan as a friendly and energetic young man.

The 17-year-old died Saturday in a Hamilton hospital after losing control of his car Friday night on Hanlon Creek Boulevard in Guelph.

Goegan had only turned 17 about a week earlier. When he got his G2 driver’s license, he immediately ticked the box to become an organ donor -- a gesture which has already bittersweetly helped four other people, and one that those who knew Goegan say shows what kind of person he was.

“He was the kind of kid that any parent would be proud to call son and any coach would jump at having the chance to have him on the team,” says Paul Reece, who coached Goegan on the Ontario Outlaws baseball team.

In the classroom at Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, Goegan was an honour roll student with aspirations of studying sports medicine. On the baseball field, he was a promising young pitcher who was attracting interest from colleges south of the border.

“He always exemplified what the epitome of a team player should be. You could always rely on him to give it his all,” says Reece.

Monday afternoon, Ryan Burnham visited the spot where his cousin’s car slammed into a pole.

“Not any part of him deserved to go,” Burnham tells CTV.

“He was just full of life, just such a great guy.”

Goegan’s family is setting up an athletic scholarship fund to help other young athletes realize their dreams.

Photos

Ryan Burnham visits the spot in Guelph, Ont., where his cousin Eric Goegans lost control of his car and drove into a pole. (CTV Kitchener)